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Pharmacology of Substance Abuse Flashcards

7 cards from real CADC practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

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  1. Which neurotransmitter system is primarily responsible for the reinforcing effects of most addictive substances?

    Answer: Dopamine

    Dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens (the brain's reward center) is the primary mechanism behind the reinforcing properties of addictive drugs.

  2. A client reports using heroin daily for two years. Which opioid receptor type is most responsible for heroin's analgesic and euphoric effects?

    Answer: Mu (μ)

    Mu (μ) opioid receptors mediate the primary analgesic, euphoric, and respiratory-depressant effects of heroin and other opioids.

  3. Naloxone reverses opioid overdose by acting as a:

    Answer: Competitive antagonist at opioid receptors

    Naloxone is a competitive opioid receptor antagonist that rapidly displaces opioids from their receptors, reversing respiratory depression.

  4. Which statement best describes cross-tolerance in substance abuse pharmacology?

    Answer: Tolerance developed to one drug that reduces the effect of a pharmacologically similar drug

    Cross-tolerance occurs when tolerance to one drug confers tolerance to another drug in the same pharmacological class, such as tolerance to alcohol reducing the effects of benzodiazepines.

  5. The phenomenon where a drug produces progressively stronger effects with repeated administration at the same dose is called:

    Answer: Sensitization (reverse tolerance)

    Sensitization (or reverse tolerance) describes increasing drug effects with repeated use, commonly seen with stimulants like cocaine causing escalating psychosis.

  6. Which route of drug administration produces the fastest onset of action and highest peak blood concentration?

    Answer: Intravenous injection

    Intravenous injection delivers the drug directly into the bloodstream, bypassing all absorption barriers and producing near-immediate peak levels.

  7. Alcohol primarily exerts its CNS depressant effects by:

    Answer: Enhancing GABA-A receptor activity and inhibiting NMDA glutamate receptors

    Alcohol enhances inhibitory GABA-A signaling and suppresses excitatory NMDA glutamate receptors, producing its sedating and disinhibiting effects.